PJ Gagajena is the Administrative Services Manager for the City of Indio, California. He supports the Economic Development Department and has been involved in real estate projects related to hotel construction, commercial and industrial development, college campus expansion, and downtown revitalization. He previously supported the City Manager’s Office to implement the city’s strategic plans, manage legislative affairs, oversee the City Clerk’s Office, and operate the Indio Performing Arts Center.
PJ has worked in state and local government since 1999. He began his career working in the Mayor’s Office in New York City and then served as an aide to former California State Assembly Member George Nakano. He spent 11-years working for the City of Los Angeles and specialized in budget, human resources, performance management, urban planning, sustainability, and community relations. PJ also taught at El Camino College in Torrance, California as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science for nearly a decade.
PJ acquired master’s degrees in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard University where he served as Co-Editor of the Asian American Policy Review. He graduated with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles where he acquired a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and served as Internal Vice President of the Undergraduate Students Association Council. PJ is a graduate of the Public Policy and International Affairs Program, and New York City Urban Fellows Program.
PJ is a member of the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED), International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC), and International Network of Asian Pacific Administrators (I-NAPA). He was selected by Cal-ICMA as a scholarship award winner to attend its West Coast Regional Conference in 2019 and will be a part of CALED’s inaugural Advanced Institute program to become an Accredited California Economic Developer.
Upon completion of USC’s Ross Minority Program in Real Estate, PJ plans to continue working to create livable communities, improve people’s lives, and develop the next generation of public service leaders. PJ lives in La Quinta, California, and grew up in Torrance, California.
Email: pgagajena@indio.org